26th April 2010

SDLP pledges new jobs

Northern Ireland's Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) has announced plans to create some 42,000 new jobs.

Contractors could benefit from the party's employment pledge, which will encourage businesses to significantly increase their intake.

If successful in the forthcoming election, the SDLP intends to focus on jobs in the renewable energy industry.

According to its manifesto, by developing green business principles and harmonising corporation tax, the government would substantially increase employment opportunities.

Party leader Margaret Ritchie acknowledged the responsibility of the government to address such issues in the wake of the recession.

"The global economic and financial crisis and the real experience of unemployment and hardship means that people are looking to politicians for some answers," she remarked.

The pledge follows similar claims by the Conservative party, which promised to allocate at least 25 per cent of government contracts to small businesses as part of its election manifesto.

A recent study conducted by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) indicated that the demand for labour in the UK is gradually starting to improve.

Chief executive of the REC Kevin Green said the government must be careful not to introduce counterproductive polices if the recovery is to continue.